Sled



L. E. REED Nov. 9, 193 7.

SLED

Filed Aug. 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 La. LA! f L LAWRENCE E. REED L. E. REEDl Nov. 9, 1937.

SLED

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1936 NN EW f E l 1 I, M Il lill l l I o I l I l Il am mwa |l i- @n l M Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED sTATEsj PATENT oFFicE ySLEDi Lawrence E. Reed, York, Nebr. Application August 18, 1986, serial No. 90,669 s claims. (o1. 28o-22) This invention relates to sleds, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and effi-v cient steering mechanism therefor, which is so constructed as to permit of a maximum degree of 5L accuracy and certainty when steering the sled.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient means for mounting the runners of the sled in a manner whereby the runners may be flexed at their center for curvloing the runners throughout their entire length.

A further object of this invention is the production of a sled wherein the runners are so mounted as to iiex laterally of the body or floor boards of the sled without lateral movement or 1'5` twist of the body or floor boards. I Y

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:-

20 Figure 1 is a top plan View of the sled; v

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section through the sled;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken o line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the sled, certain parts being broken away;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the sled, cer- 30, tain parts being broken away and the runners being shown flexed;

. Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of one of the runner braces, also illustrating a portion of one of the runners as well as a portion of one of the 35 transverse bars;

. By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that A designates the body of the sled which consists of a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced floor boards I0. The outer oor boards 40 I0, along each outer side edgeV thereof, is a bead or side rail II, the iioor boards IIJ tapering toward the rear end of the body A to provide a stream-line'design and also to provide a foot rest at the rear end of the sled as will be hereinafter 45 described. The outer floor boards I0 are provided near the outer side edges with handfhold apertures I2 adjacent the beads orA rails Il, and near the forward end of the body as shown in Figure I. These spaced floor boards IIJv are se- 5.0, cured together by means of the transversely extending cleats I3 located near the rear end of the body A. A transversely extending bar I4 is also secured to the under face of the floor boards I intermediate the ends of the body A and the for- 55. ward ends of the oor boards I0V are anchored rmly upon the forward transversely extending bracing bar I5.

A lpair of spaced parallel runners I6 are carried in conjunction withthe body A and preferably embody inverted T-shaped flexible steel members which are slightly channeled as at II along their under faces as is common with such runners. The forward ends of the runners I6 are curved upwardly, as at II, and are connected by a transversely extending tie bar I9 at their forward extremities, the tie bar I9 being provided with an aperture 20 to facilitate the attachment of a pull ropeor other similar means. The forward ends I8 of the runners I6 are also braced by means of the rearwardly extending strap members 2l which rearwardly extending members 2l are secured to the forward ends of the runners I3 and are pivotally connected, as at 22, to the opposite ends of the forward transversely extending bracing bar I; This structure is clearly shown rin Figure 1 of the drawings.

v The vrunners I6 support near their forward ends a pair-'of aligned runner braces 23 and at their rear ends a pair of transversely aligned runner braces 24. A pair of transversely aligned runner vbraces 25 are also carried by the runners I-IiV intermediate the braces 23 and. 24. The forwardrunner braces 23 are securely fastened to the runners I6 near their forward ends and also firmly engage the under face of the forward transverse bracing bar I5 and constitute a support therefor, the bolts 22 passing through the strapsy 2I, vthe ends of the bar I5 and also the runner-braces' 23 which pivotally secure these runner braces to the ends of the transverse bar I5. The forward end of the body A will therefore "beflxed tothe forward bar I5, whereas the runners near their forward ends will be pivotally connected to this bar through the medium vof the anchoring pins 22.

The rear runner braces 24 are pivotally connected to the ends of a rear transverse bar 26 through the medium of the pvot pins 2l, as shown in Figure 3, and this rear transverse bar 26fis so mounted as to permit a slight transverse sliding movement with respect to the body A, as will be hereinafter described. This rear bar 26 is also provided upon its upper face with cutout sockets 28 to provide foot rests, and vthe rear end of the body is shaped to taper, as indicated at 29, in Figure 1. This will provide ample room for thevfeet ofv the .person using the sled and permit him lto catch his heels in the notches 28 thereby holding' his feet from slipping. The rear end of the body A is anchored against dis-r placement from the rear bar 26 through the medium of a journal pin 30 which extends vertically through the center of the bar ZlrandY ts through the enlarged elongatedslot 3| formed in the rear end of the tie plate 32. This tie plate 32 is fixed to the bottomV of the body A, as shown. The body A is aperturedat its rear end as indicated at 33, to receive the head of the journal pin 30 and to permit of the proper shifting of the body A transversely as the runnersarmbowed. Through themediumpf Athis structure, thqriear end of the'body A will be firmly anchored against. displacement from the rear bar 26 but at the,-

same time'proper allowance is made for the" shortening oiV the runners as they are 4bowec'` laterally, preventing a binding actionfanipera mitting at the same time, the free ii'gof the` runners I6. Y

The intermediate runnerbraces 25 support a transversely extending center supportingbar 34 whichconstitutes a ,truss orsupporting` means for the body 'A intermediate its ends and at the' same time is free to shiftlaterally with the exing of the runners I3 since the. upper face of this bar will freely slide transversely acrosstheunder face of the body A.A 'I'hese runner braces 25, however, are anchored against pivotal movement tothe `central bar 34v through the medium of the rear apex of the triangular-shaped. operatingr plate 39. This triangular-shaped operating plate 39 is pivotally connected, vas at 40, tothe under face of. the bar I4, the outer corners of the operating plate 39V being pivotally connected,.a.s at

'j 4|, to the inner ends of theparallel operating links. 42. vThese .operating links 4.2 .extend forwardly along the .under face ofthe body Athrough the majorportionof their length andthe forward endsof, these links 42 extend upwardly through the notched portions 43 of the body A where they arepivotally secured, asv at.44, .to theftransverse'- ly extending steering bar 45.. This steering .bar 4.5.is pivotally connected toa journal pin 485 carriedby the forward end of thebody A, a. wedge' block v41 ybeinginterposed y,betweenxthe upper face of the Vbody..A -and .the lowerface of theA steering bar Y45. A metal'strap 4'8 overhangsVr the steering bar 45 and isconnectedto theupper end of the journal pin46 and this strap is connectedV to the anchoring. pin 49 at its .rear end which pin 49 passes down through the .body A and throughv the vforward .bar i5. The steering bar. 45. may therefore be swung upon.its journal pin146 caus-v ing 'one link 42 to be pulled forwardly and the other link toV be pushed -rearwardlyand this will y pivotally swingthe operating plate 39. pushing upon the link 31 and shifting Vthe .centralbar 3 4 laterally for the purpose .of bowing or Warping the runners I6V in the desired direction thereby facilitating the steering of thesle'd.V 1 Y Bycarefully considering Figures 3, 4 and .'1, it will be noted that Lhave .devised a specially constructed type of runnerY brace, all othe'runner braces. 23, 24 and .25 being ,similarly constructed and preferably pressed Orstamped from blank sheets of material. In view'ofthe fact that all of vthezbraces aresimilarly constructed.- theconstruction of the brace Yas shown inFigures 3 'v Vand 7, will be specifically described, this brace is.

designated by the numeral 24. It will be noted that this typical brace comprises a pair of diverging legs which are notched at their lower ends for Y d straddling the upwardly extending web portion f the runners I6, and these leg portions 50 terminate at their upper endsV in a laterally extending formed body having a depending flange 52 formed around the edge and aV depressed portion 53 upon the top thereof for the purpose of reinforcingthe body.` In connection with,v the `for- Welrdbrses'. arid the rear.. traces; versely extending reinforcing plates 54 are'utitranslized for fitting under the laterally extending portions of the braces `24'to stiien these laterally extending portions, and these plates 54 are anchored upon the pins 21. The intermediate braces 25 do not utilize these stiffening plates 24 since they are anchored at theirY inner ends through the medium of the pins 3B. Y These plates 24 will assist in holding the inwardly extending or laterally extending portions of the braces'2 Y with the under faces of the bars 26and I5.

vFrom thel foregoing description-it will be seen.

that a very simple andv eflicient means has been provided for supporting the body of the sled upon Y the runners in a manner. whereby the runners sturdily supported in conjunction with. vthe run-" nersand. at thesame .time permittingfthefree flexing of the runnersl VThe transverse bar 34 will constitute an efficient support for the center of the.

bodyA and at the Sametime may be freely shifted transversely of the body A as the steering bar is swung.

Itshouldrbe understood that when it is desired toiiex the runners, the steering bar 45 may be' plate 32. The braces 24 and 23 are pivotal-ly con-- nected at their respectivev supporting lbars 26 ar1d I5.

'Y Certain detail changes in the mechanical'con struction may be employedV without departingv from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the appended.V claims.

Having described as new is:-'

` l. In a sled of the class described, a body; exf ible runners, front and rear cross bars pivotally connectedvto said runners,v said irontbar being x'ed to'sad body, atie plate secured to 'said`body, said tie plate having a longitudinalV slot', an an-V choring bolt passing through said 'slot and rear bar for connecting said bodyrto said rear-bar and perrii-ittinglongitudinal shift kof the rear bar withv respect/to said body, and meansrforfilexing said runners. Y y j 1 2. In a sled of the classl described, flexible ners, front and rear bars pivotally connected .tb

the invention, what I daim Said runners, a body su`p1'5ortedV uponsaidbarato said plat/amanda transverse Ysteering bar pivg' oted to s aid body and connected Vto said link means Vfor swinging said plateand shifting saidrinrter.- u

mediate bar for ex'ing said runners as said steering bar is swung.

3. In a sled of the class described, exible runners, front and rear bars pivotally connected to said runners, a body supported upon said bars, an intermediate bar fixed to said runners intermediate their ends and laterally slidable upon said body, a triangular-shaped operating plate pivotally connected to said body, and also pivotally connected to said intermediate bar, parallel links pivotally connected to said plate upon opposite sides of its pivot, a transverse steering bar pivoted to said body, and said links being pivotally connected to said bar upon opposite sides of its pivot connection with said body.

4. In a sled of the class described, flexible runners, front and rear transverse bars pivotally connected to said runners, a body supported upon said bars, an intermediate bar fixed to said runners intermediate their ends and slidable transversely with respect to said body, an operating plate pivotally secured to said body and also pivotally connected to said intermediate bar, longitudinally extending links pivotally connected to said plate, a transverse steering bar pivotally connected to said body, said longitudinally extending links being pivotally connected to said steering bar, and a bracing link connected to said plate and near one end of said intermediate bar.

5. In a sled of the class described, flexible runners, front and rear bars pivotally connected to said runners, a body supported upon said bars,

an intermediate bar slidable transversely with respect to said body and anchored atits ends to said runners intermediate the ends of said runners, an operating plate pivotally secured to the under face of said body and having a projecting end pivotally connected to said intermediate bar, longitudinally extending spaced links pivotally 'connected to said plate upon opposite sides of the pivot connection of said plate with said body, the bars extending along the under face of said body through a portion of their length, the body having cut-away portions, said links extending through said cut-away portions and projecting over the upper face of the body, a steering bar pivotally secured to the upper face of the body, and said links being pivotally connected to said steering bar upon opposite sides of its pivotal connection with said body whereby said runners may be flexed as said steering bar is swung.

6. In a sled of the class described, a body, exible runners carried thereby, means extending across the front of said body and pivotally connected to said runners, said means being fixed to said body, a rear bar extending across the rear of said body and pivoted to the runners near their rear ends, means for slidably connecting said rear bar to said body to permit longitudinal shift of the rear bar with respect to said body, and means for iiexing said runners.

LAWRENCE E. REED. 

